Crazy Eights

By Sharon Colvin, Teen Librarian, on October 15th, 2009

Everyone who knows me, either in person or through this blog, knows that I adore Stephen King. A month of horror book recommendations wouldn’t be complete without several of the Master of the Macabre’s novels. So, here is a list of the Top 8 SK Novels* (in my opinion and in no particular order):

The Shining–Jack Torrance has moved his small family to the Overlook Hotel where he will be the caretaker in the off season. Jack is trying to write a novel and battle alcoholism, but instead he begins a rapid descent into madness. SO MUCH BETTER than the movie!

Salem’s Lot–vampires have taken over the town of Jerusalem’s Lot–will author Ben Mears be able to stop them?

I still remember reading this book the summer I was 16. I worked as a cashier at CVS and I would count the minutes until my break knowing I would be able to sit in the stock room and read a few more pages.

The Long Walk–every year 100 teenage boys are chosen by lottery and forced to compete in the Long Walk–a contest with only one winner. Every contestant must maintain a pace of 4 miles an hour, if you slow down or stumble you get a warning, after 3 warnings, you’re out…permanently.

The Stand–SK’s post-apocalyptic masterpiece, describes the lives of those who survived a deadly virus and are now engaged in a battle of good versus evil.

Hearts in Atlantis–three separate storylines overlap to form a beautiful novel that perfectly captures the time before, during and after the Vietnam War.

Carrie–teenage girl has telekinesis, a psychotic mom, and a gym full of classmates who have tortured her for the last time.

This is the first of Stephen King’s novels to be published and it also happens to be the first one I read; because of that it will always have a special place in my heart.

Pet Sematary–if you could bring back a dead loved one, would you? Even if they were not quite who they used to be?

*I only chose from books I have already read. Thankfully, I still have quite a bit of Stephen King’s backlist to catch up on.

Who’s your favorite horror writer?

~Tricia is the teen librarian at CPL and can’t wait to get home and start The Regulators, an old Stephen King book that’s new to her.

3 comments to Crazy Eights

hmmm… i don’t know. I like jk rowling, but that’s not really horror… so far it would have to be andrew nance(I loved daemon hall!)

out of the ones you posted, I think i want to read Salem’s lot, the long walk, and carrie the most. I started reading the horror stories you posted about, and then my cat got really sick after i read one, so then I decided I was done with horror stories, but now she is better so I think i’ll start reading them again. If I have time.